Criminal Justice Program Overview

Today, the USA's criminal justice system is at a crossroads. To meet the challenges ahead, we need a new generation of Criminal Justice professionals whose clear understanding of past issues will help them find new solutions to current problems. At Bay State College, our goal is to help you do just that:

Learn from professors with real world, professional experience in the Criminal Justice field.

Master program curriculum that incorporates the humanities to prepare you for work in the Criminal Justice social service field.

Criminal Justice Evening Classes

If you're busy during the day, Bay State College's Criminal Justice Degree Evening Program gives you the opportunity to learn on your own time. Take evening college courses at our convenient Boston Back Bay campus, or at our satellite location in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Criminal Justice Program Mission

The Criminal Justice Program provides an integrated course of study in science and humanities in order to prepare students for this complex and rapidly changing field. The Program provides inter-disciplinary course work which fosters critical thinking, humanistic reflection, and the ability to innovate. This program will prepare students to enter a wide array of criminal justice fields or graduate study.

Criminal Justice Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bay State College Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, students will:

Understand the origins and historical development of the rule of law, the role of government, the policing of society and our systems and philosophies of justice from a world-view perspective.

Be familiar with the major theories relative to the causes and cures of criminality through the use of critical thinking skills and be able to develop practical intervention models.

Demonstrate the empathy, cultural sensitivity and knowledge of the humanities necessary to guide victims and offenders, their families and the community towards restorative justice.

Be familiar with and be able to apply substantive and procedural criminal laws to situations and events existing or likely to occur based upon trends or cultural shifts in our modern world.

Possess the oral, listening, and written communication skills necessary to conduct investigative conversations, forensic interviews and criminal interrogations as well as write forensic reports. And, perform these activities in a way which meets the legal requirements necessary for acceptance in court and which facilitates effective communication with victims, witnesses, suspects and colleagues.

Be familiar with the historical development and current use of technology to monitor, prevent and investigate criminal activity and be able to critically analyze the degree to which technological advance in the field of criminal justice positively or negatively impacts the human condition.

Understand the fundamental concepts of social science research and be able to perform quantitative and qualitative data analysis in the field of criminal justice.

Understand the historical development of forensic science and be familiar with scientific methods used to collect and analyze evidence in criminal investigations.

Be able to articulate a comprehensive understanding of the processing of criminal cases and offenders from the investigative stage to community corrections, incarceration and offender re-entry into society.

Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply, to ethical dilemmas faced in the field, the codes of ethics of the American Bar Association, American Society for Industrial Security, American Correctional Association, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Employers of Our Criminal Justice Graduates

Massachusetts Trial Court

Community Resources for Justice

Norton Police Department

Stoughton District Court Probation

Wareham District Court

Essex County Sheriffs Department

Transportation Security Administration

Boston Police Department

Lynn Community Connections

Available Concentrations

Digital Forensics and Cyber Security ConcentrationOur country is currently facing new challenges regarding cyber attacks and digital crimes. Bay State College addresses this new threat by training professionals to utilize the tools and processes to thwart potential attackers and bring those who commit these crimes to justice.

Domestic and International Security ConcentrationNew approaches in security and law enforcement are urgently needed, so that our country's citizens, critical systems and information are protected. Bay State College addresses this need at its source: preparing students like you to be innovative security and law enforcement professionals.

Recommended Minors

Sociology Study the science behind social behavior and society to gain key insights into what makes people commit crimes and how the Criminal Justice field can prevent criminal activity in the future.

Psychology Minor in Psychology and use what you learn to analyze a criminal's mind and all of the factors that go into their decision-making process.

Criminal Justice Degree Accreditation

Bay State College is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredits schools and colleges in the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont). Membership in one of the six regional accrediting associations in the United States indicates that the school or college has been carefully evaluated and found to meet the standards agreed upon by qualified educators.

Bay State College is authorized to award the following degrees by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science, Bachelor of Science.